Arthur's Pass Village

Image Credit: Sabrina Xavier Photographer

Named for Sir Arthur Dudley Dobson, the first European to discover the pass. Discovery of gold on the West Coast resulted in the opening of a coach road to Hokitika in 1866. It was not a route for the faint-hearted: the coach had to ford 13 rivers and the outside passengers had to endure the mountain climate. The Visitors’ Centre at Arthur’s Pass has a Cobb and Co coach on display, and interesting information about the challenges of travel early last century.

The construction of a railway and opening of the Otira Tunnel in 1923 made travelling to the West Coast much easier. Over the years the road has been upgraded, the most recent improvement being the viaduct in 1999, which eliminated nerve-wracking hairpin bends west of the pass.

Arthur’s Pass Village It offers some accommodation and a basic camping area. The DOC Visitors’ Centre is well worth a visit and provides information about longer tramps and climbs in the Park.

ARTHURS PASS NATIONAL PARK WITH TRANZALPINE TRAIN SMALL GROUP TOUR FROM CHRISTCHURCH

ARTHUR'S PASS DAY TOUR INCLUDING EXPRESS TRAIN FROM CHRISTCHURCH